Joan D. Vinge - Cat 3 - Dreamfall by Dreamfall

Author:Dreamfall [Dreamfall]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-12-27T18:16:38.484000+00:00

Sixteen

I sucked in a breath of cold air, another full of surprise as I realized where we were. “ The reefs- ” I murmured. Joby squirmed and stiffened in my arms. I rubbed his back until he quieted, trying to stabilize my own senses as we adjusted to the solid ground that was suddenly under my feet again.

Miya nodded. “ The oyasin… she says the Way isn’ t clear to her, either. She only saw that you… we… needed to come here.” She turned to the view around us, and then, with what looked like both reverence and resignation, she made a small bow of acknowledgment.

We were standing on the river shore, but nowhere near the spot where the research team had been collecting data. The skyline of sheared hillsides and ovate hummocks, the play of light and shadow, was the same and yet entirely different, like the same stars viewed from a different world.

I thought about the team again. They were probably already back on the Human side of the river. I thought again about the half life that had been all the life I’ d had, until a few days ago… the life that I’ d given up entirely in order to have this one. I looked at Miya, holding my breath until the moment passed.

And then I asked, “ What now?” I turned back to Grandmother, watched her turn through a circle, bowing to the beauty around us. When she’ d completed the circle, she bowed again toward the deeper shadows below the cliff face. I realized there was an overhang of the reef there, maybe even a cave.

The oyasin settled herself on the stony beach, wrapped in a heavy cloak she hadn’ t been wearing when we left the monastery. She looked up and saw me looking at her.

“ I knew that it would be cold,” she said, smiling in that way I never knew whether to take at face value. She held out her arms. “ I will keep him. While you follow the Way.”

I glanced at Miya, because Grandmother was still looking at me.

“ Both of us,” Miya murmured to me, and nodded.

I carried Joby to Grandmother, settled him into her arms. He went to her willingly, and there didn’ t seem to be any change in how he responded. He watched everything that was happening around him with silent curiosity; he didn’ t look surprised or even worried. That was what it would be like to be a Hydran child, I thought: secure no matter where you were, as long as you could feel the presence of people who loved you inside your mind. I realized that once there must have been a time when I’ d felt that way, in a time I couldn’ t even remember.

Grandmother began to talk to Joby, a soft murmur that I realized was Standard speech. She waved her hand, pointing out the reefs and up into the golden evening air. I looked up and saw taku darting randomly overhead.

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